Rail lock



April 8, 1930. FREESE 1,754,155.

RAIL LOCK Filed July 30, 1929 \NVENTOR: FranK (1F ecsq the base flange of the rail, and face provided. W engaging teeth or Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNl."lhlih STATES PATENT OFFHCE FRANK G. FREESE, 0F ALJDAN, PENNSYLVANIA RAIL LOCK Application filed July 30, 1929.. Serial No. 382,696.

My invention relates to means for anchortion with the spikes holding down a rail ing or locking railroad rails against movemounted upon" a tie plate interposed between ment, particularly the longitudinal move the rail and the tie. The rail is indicated at ment known as creeping. 1, the tie plate at 2, tie at 3 and the spikes at 5 In carrying out my invention I propose to 4. In the present instance, I have shown a associate with the usual spikes. which are emtie plate arranged for the reception of two ployed to hold the rails to the ties, anchoring spikes, one on each side of the base flange or locking means which overlie the base 1 of the rail, but it will be understood that a flanges of the rail and are held in proper posigreater numb-er of spikes may be employed as 10 tion by the spikes one of such locking devices practice may require or determine.

being associated with each spike. The spikes are so associated with the base improved anchoring means comprises flange of the rail as to provide contact of a member in the form of what may be termed their shanks with the edges of these flanges; a yoke washer, having a portion to overlie such contact being usual to prevent lateral 13- the base ilange of the rail beneath the head displacement of the rail after it has been of the spike and a pair of laterally disposed spiked to the tie. depending portions, one of which lies at each is well known, of course, that rails tend side of the spike. The notch or recess of such to creep, particularly when tralfic is moving yoke washer is oi such dimensions that the in one direction. F or the purpose of looking i0 spike may bear against the edge of the base the rails to the tie plates and/or ties and flange of the rail in the usual manner as well to prevent the rail moving longitudinally as against the locking member. relatively to the tie, I provide/a rail lock in In order that my improved yoke washer the form of a halt washer or yoke member 5 may serve as anchoring or locking means for which is so shaped as to provide a portion 5 the rails the inner surface of the same, dethat may be place n r he he f h signed for contact with the base. flange of the spike, with depending portions 5" lying rail, is provided with spurs or teeth which against the edge of the base flange 1 of the may be forced into the metal of the rail base rail on opposite sides of the shank of the by the pressure of the spike when setting the spike. The under side of this washer or yoke 3 same in place. member is provided with spurs, teeth or other These and other features of my invention engaging members .5 designed to bite into are more fully described hereinafter; referthe rail when the spike is driven home, thereence being had to the accompanying Clrawbyproviding anchorage between the rail and ings, in which: the spike. By preference these spurs or'teeth Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a railroad extend in opposite directions from the centre track structure showing rail looks or anchors of the under side o't'the portion 5 of the lookwithin the scope of my invention. ing member, as clearly shown in Fig; 6.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the structure shown That portion Of my improved rail lock elein Fig. 1; the rail being shown in section. ment which underlies the head of the spike Fig. 3 is aperspcctive view of my improved may be slightly arched as clearly indicated 99 rail lock. in Fig. 4, so that the opposite edges of such Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same. portion of the lock element will engage first Fl 5 is an inverted plan view illustrating withthe upper surface, of the base flange of the character of the surface contacting with the rail; the other portion of the under sur- Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views spurs making contact with the rail as the illustrating details of my invention. spike is driven home. in addition, the inner My improved lock or anchoring structure faces of the depending portions of the lock may be employed with or without a tie plate. member are provided with spurs or teeth on In the present instance it is shown in connecthe surface contacting with the edge of the 109 base flange of the rail and as the spike engages the upper portion of this lock member and the Web of the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, it will tend to push these portions against such base flange.

In use, the spike can be driven within approximately one-half inch of the rail flange and then the lock member ma be placed under the head of the spike. T en by driving the spike all the way down, the lock member will be forced into holding engagement with the rail. As the lock member is confined between the head of the spike and the rail, the

latter is held against longitudinal movement in either direction and the lock member is held against movement by reason of the fact that the depending portions 5 of such lock member are disposed on both sides of the shank of the. spike beneath theheadof the latter.

In lieu of the individual spurs or teeth shown as struck up from the under surface of the lock member I may provide thesame with serrations that will form-substantially continuous teeth to bite into the base flange of the rail when the spike is driven home.

I claim:

1. The combination with a railroad rail, a tie, and a spike entering said tie for holding the rail thereto, of a locking member arranged to underlie a portion of the head of the spike and be retained thereby against longitudinal movement; said locking member having a portion disposed on each side of the spike for biting engagement with the rail toprevent movement of the latter when said locking member is held in place by the spike.

2. The combination with arailroad rail, a tie, and a spike entering said tie for holding the rail thereto, of a locking member arranged to underlie a portion of the head of the spike and be retained thereby against longitudinal movement; said locking member having spurs or teeth for biting engagement with the rail to prevent movement of the same when held in place by the spike.

3. The combination with a railroad rail, a tie, and a spike entering said tie for holding the rail thereto, of a notched locking member underlying a portion of the head of the s ike and retained thereby against longitu inal movement said locking member having spurs or teeth adapted to enter the rail and prevent movement of the same when held in place by the spike.

4. The combination with a railroad rail, a tie supporting the same, and a spike securing said rail to the tie, of a locking member having a portion underlying a portion of the head of the spike and depending portions disposed on opposite sides of the spike adapted to engage the edge of the rail flange; said locking member having spurs or teeth means on its under surface and being held in contact with therail by the spike.

5. The combination with a railroad rail, 8. tie supporting the same, and a spike securing said rail to the tie, of a locking member having an arched portion underlying a portion of the head of the spike and depending portions disposed on opposite sides of the spike adapted to engage the edge of the rail flange; said locking member being held in contact with the rail by the spike and having spurs or teeth on its entire rail-engaging surface which are brought into action when retained in place by the spike.

6. As a new article of'manufacture, a rail lock comprising a yoke washer to be held down by a spike and having an arched portion adapted to underlie the spike head; said arched portion having engaging members to hold a rail against longitudinal movement.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a, rail lock comprising a yoke washer to be held down by a spike and having spurs or teeth disposed right and left with respect to the centre of the said lock so as to hold a rail against any tendency to move or creep in either direction.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

FRANK G. FREE SE. 

